Monday 24 August 2009

Persephone Quiz



To launch Persephone Reading Week, Verity and I have each composed a quiz for you to complete. My quiz will be open until Friday 5pm GMT and please email me your answers, all of which can be found on the Persephone Books website. The prize I am offering is the stunning Persephone Classics edition of Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple, a wonderfully raw evocation of infidelity. In the event of a tie, I will use a random number generator to determine the winner.


1. In the grey edition of Someone at a Distance, who designed the fabric that is used as the end-paper?


2. Which year was Persephone author, Monica Dickens, the great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, born?


3. Could you tell me which Persephone titles the endpapers to the left come from?


4. List please the three forthcoming titles for Persephone's catalogue this October.


5. Which famous literary husband and wife both feature in the Persephone catalogue?


6. The artwork to the right is by Ann Doughty and depicts 58 Doughty Street, Bloomsbury, a flat that Winifred Holtby shared with which other writer?


7. The beautiful artist's impression of the Persephone shop and office in Bloomsbury is by David Gentleman. At what number on Lamb's Conduit Street is the shop situated?



8. A famous Virago author (recently reviewed on this blog) has a cousin who is published by Persephone; can you tell me who that cousin is?



9. At the present time, how many Dorothy Whipple titles do Persephone publish?



10. The Islington House below, painted by David Gentlemen also, is the setting for which Persephone novel?


21 comments:

StuckInABook said...

Great quiz, and such beautiful pictures! I shan't enter, as I already have the book (in both Persephone versions) but will have fun doing the quiz. I've got a few without looking!

StuckInABook said...

Oh, and I love all the pictures you've chosen today.

Paperback Reader said...

Submit your answers anyway, Simon, and if you win then maybe we can substitute the prize.

I love the photographs too; most are postcards that are dotted around my bookcases.

Paperback Reader said...

I'm annoyed how much narrower the blogger page is than the draft one; my photographs aren't squashed on the preview :(.

verity said...

Wonderful quiz! I was so excited that I've set mine to launch at 10:30 instead of lunchtime.

Green Road said...

ooo that's a good quiz. I'll have a crack at it when my daughter's having her nap. I know a few already :)

Paperback Reader said...

Good luck, Swati!

Ana S. said...

As a Persephone newbie I don't know a single answer, but if it's okay to look them up, then I'm in.

Also, I read The Victorian Chaise-Longue this morning - thank you again for recommending it!

Paperback Reader said...

Ana, I thought it would be fairer to take the answers from the website so that everyone had a chance of winning and this way you'll learn more about Persephone!

Did you enjoy The Victorian Chaise-longue? It is such a quick read but envious that you already have one read! Now I recommend that you read The Yellow Wallpaper for Carl's RIP challenge; it's only around fifty pages or so and online ;).

Unknown said...

I don't know any of those answers - I will make sure I set aside some time so I can find them out!

Great quiz!

Darlene said...

Oh, excellent job with the quiz! I'm going to give it a go during a quiet moment. When I was in the shop last May I purchased the package of Bloomsbury watercolours, they're lovely.

Paperback Reader said...

Good luck, Jackie!
Just wait until you see Verity's.

Darlene, the watercolours are beautiful. Here's hoping you find a quiet moment that is taken up by The Village...

Anonymous said...

Oh I think this quiz is too hard for me... what wonderful pictures though. I am refusing to google and cheat but my quesses would be embarrasing!

Paperback Reader said...

Simon, all of the answers can be found on the Persephone website, which is only fair for those new to Persephone. I am suspecting that Simon T knew them all though.

claire said...

This was so much fun to answer! Without having to look the answers up, I knew only one! :D

Sent you the email..

Rachel (Book Snob) said...

So glad I found a computer whilst on holiday, I love this edition of Someone at a Distance and have been coveting it for a while! Thanks for doing the quiz, it was fun to test my knowledge!!

StuckInABook said...

Ha, Claire, I'm not that good! I knew all the ones in Verity's quiz, but things like Monica Dickens' date of birth I had to look up!

Paperback Reader said...

Claire, glad you enjoyed it and found it educational!

Rachel, you're welcome; glad you found a computer and were able to take part. I love that copy of Someone at a Distance and it was one of the first Persephones I bought (and my first Classic).

Simon, well done! I'll allow for you not knowing birth dates offhand, that's perfectly understandable ;).

Ana S. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ana S. said...

Ignore me; wrong post :P

Paperback Reader said...

Yes, this one won't win you prizes just by commenting :P.